The present invention relates to an information processing system capable of carrying out data communications between an information device such as an image pick-up device, and an information processing device, and further to an information device and information processing device, used in the information processing system.
Conventionally, a car navigation system such as disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-211529 is known as an information processing system established by uniting an image pick-up device and an information processing device together.
The car navigation system disclosed in this publication includes an IC card, a car navigation device, a video camera equipped with a GPS (global positioning system), and a personal computer. In this car navigation system, the IC card is set on the video camera and image data picked up with the video camera is recorded on the IC card. During this period, the position data of the place where the image is picked up is acquired from the GPS equipped in the video camera, and the data is recorded on the IC card together with the image data. When a map is displayed on the car navigation device or personal computer while the IC card is set on the device, the image data recorded on the IC card is displayed on the corresponding location on the map on the basis of the position data added to the image data.
In the above-described car navigation system, the GPS equipped in the car navigation device cannot be used from the video camera side. Therefore, a separate GPS must be provided for the video camera in order to acquire position data, thus increasing the cost of the product.
With the conventional technique, since image data picked up by the video camera is recorded on an IC card, while the IC card is being set on the car navigation device or personal computer, the recording of image data cannot be performed.
Further, an IC card has a small memory capacity and therefore it cannot record a great number of image data. As a result, it becomes necessary to transfer the image data recorded on the IC card to the car navigation device or personal computer.
Furthermore, an IC card must be set on the car navigation device, video camera or personal computer at each time, and therefore it takes a lot of trouble for inserting or taking out the IC card. In addition, the connector portion of the IC card may wear out, or the card itself may be lost.
The object of the present invention is to provide an information processing system, which can process data of an information device and position data, as they are associated with each other, without a troublesome operation such as loading/unloading an IC card, as well as such an information device and information processing device.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing system comprising: an information device; and an information processing device, wherein the information device further comprises: transfer means which outputs a transfer request of transferring predetermined data processed by the information device, to the information processing device, and transfers the predetermined data to the information processing device when a response is made in reply to the transfer request, and the information processing device further comprises: receiving means for receiving the predetermined data in reply to the transfer request; recording means for recording the predetermined data received by the receiving means as they are associated with position data indicating a current position; and data processing means for executing a predetermined process on the basis of the predetermined data and the position data, recorded on the recording means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing system comprising: an information device; and an information processing device, wherein the information device further comprises: position acquiring means for acquiring position data indicating a current position from the information processing device by requesting the position data therefrom; transfer means which outputs a transfer request of transferring predetermined data processed by the information device, to the information process, and when a response is made in reply to the transfer request, transfers the predetermined data to the information processing device after adding the position data obtained by the position acquiring means to the predetermined data, and the information processing device further comprises: position measuring means for measuring a current position; position transmitting means for transmitting position data indicating the current position measured by the position measuring means, to the information device when a request is made by the information device; receiving means for receiving the predetermined data with the position data added thereto, in reply to the transfer request from the information device; recording means for recording the predetermined data and position data received by the receiving means as the predetermined data and the position data are associated with each other; and data processing means for executing a predetermined process on the basis of the predetermined data and the position data, recorded on the recording means.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing system comprising: an information device; and an information processing device, wherein the information device further comprises: transfer request means for outputting a transfer request of transferring predetermined data processed by the information device, to the information processing device; holding means for holding the predetermined data when a response is not made in reply to the transfer request output from the transfer request means; and data transfer means for transferring the predetermined data held in the holding means when a response is made in reply to the transfer request, and the information processing device further comprises: receiving means for receiving the predetermined data in reply to the data transfer request from the information device; recording means for recording the predetermined data received by the receiving means as they are associated with position data indicating a current position; and data processing means for executing a predetermined process on the basis of the predetermined data and the position data, recorded on the recording means.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing system comprising: an information device; and an information processing device, wherein the information device further comprises: first authentication means for authenticating whether the information processing device is an opponent who is permitted to communicate with; and transfer means for transferring the predetermined data processed by the information device to the information processing device when the information processing device is authenticated as a registered opponent by the first authentication means, and the information processing device further comprises: second authentication means for authenticating whether the information processing device is an opponent who is permitted to communicate with; receiving means for receiving the predetermined data when the information device is authenticated as a registered opponent by the second authentication means; recording means for recording the predetermined data received by the receiving means and position data indicating a current position as they are associated with each other; and data processing means for executing a predetermined process on the basis of the predetermined data and the position data, recorded on the recording means.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing system comprising: an information device; and an information processing device, wherein the information device further comprises: position acquiring means for acquiring position data indicating a current position from a separate particular device from the information processing device; and transfer means which outputs a transfer request of transferring predetermined data processed by the information device, to the information process, and when a response is made in reply to the transfer request, transfers the predetermined data to the information processing device after adding the position data obtained by the position acquiring means to the predetermined data, and the information processing device further comprises: data receiving means for receiving the predetermined data with the position data added thereto, in reply to the transfer request from the information device; recording means for recording the predetermined data and position data received by the data receiving means as the predetermined data and the position data are associated with each other; and data processing means for executing a predetermined process on the basis of the predetermined data and the position data, recorded on the recording means.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information device comprising: communication means for establishing communication with an external device having a position measuring function; position acquiring means for acquiring position data indicating a current position by requesting the position data from the external device; and recording means for recording the position data obtained by the position acquiring means and the predetermined data processed by the information device.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information device comprising: communication means for establishing communication with an external device having a position measuring function; position acquiring means for acquiring position data indicating a current position by requesting the position data from the external device; and transfer means which outputs a transfer request of transferring predetermined data to the external device, and when a response is made in reply to the transfer request, transfers the predetermined data to the external device after adding the position data obtained by the position acquiring means to the predetermined data.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing device comprising: communication means for establishing communication with an external device; position measuring means for measuring a current position; and position transmitting means for transmitting position data indicating the current position measured by the position measuring means, to the external device in reply to a position request made by the external device.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing device comprising: communication means for establishing communication with an external device; receiving means for receiving predetermined data processed by the external device in reply to a transfer request from the external device; position measuring means for measuring a current position; recording means for recording the predetermined data received by the receiving means and position data indicating the current position measured by the position measuring means as they are associated with each other; and data processing means for executing a predetermined process on the basis of the predetermined data and the position data, recorded in the recording means.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.